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FarmgirlI also had John and learned a lot. Could have spent a couple more weeks with him. He'll make you attend to every Mozart detail. At our Friday night event we had performers who were barefoot and some who had to start over...all got thunderous applause. Good idea to bring something to eat to practice. Where do you practice today?

Karen, I wish you were here. It would have been much more fun. I practiced on another grand piano in the downstairs of the Congregation church for my regular practice time. I also practiced additional hour for the chamber music. One violin and viola. So it is a trio. Cannot read the composers name. They were much better than me. I expected total amateur. Write more later

Already Day 3! (Edited it from 2 to 3, I'm losing count)I felt a little better with my piano violin viola trio piece - first day (yesterday) was horrible). Lets say I played more notes and kept up with them. Not very well done but finally kept up with them. In this little movement by Loeillet, every one has solo part. At least I could join the team today and really enjoyed it. I will seek other instrumentalists to play with in Arizona. It's actually a lot of fun. SummerKey is great for getting this sort of first time experience. I performed in a little students get together. It was fun. My teacher John had been asking me to change lots of stuff for my piano duet. I'm not sure if I can incorporate everything in the short amount of time. I will try. I will be performing Mozart sonata on D maj for two pianos, Bach F minor prelude from Book III of WTC and the Lieillet G major trio sonata on Friday. I will see how it goes. I have been hungry here. So difficult to grab things to eat.

Amazing isn't it that even with 3 hours of practice today, you can only focus on small changes. The trio playing does seem fun and I just wish we were all there to hear you on Friday night. The group will cheer you. Did you have Wednesday evening concerts at the church? Don't forget the pictures. Have Don bring you food while you're practicing.

Karen, thanks. Don is going around all the places (including Canada) on his bike and I cannot expect him to come back for me. I think it was not idea to bring him with me. Perhaps I should coordinate with you next time if our schedule allows for it. We went to the faculty concert last night. As others mentioned I was amazed of the turn out - so many people showed up and filled up the little church. All the faculty was there too. It was a cello performance. Peter Lewy played cello and Richard McIntyre acompanied him with the piano. Our teacher John was a page turner since he performed last week. Karen, I will recommend taking an ensemble class (chamber music) next time you go. This is a very unique opportunity that Summer Key provids to us all beginners. It turned out there is a way to get a score beforehand by writing to string teachers! It turned out I'm the only one sight reading it. I think Sam went through the same thing I did. But others told me that they wrote to string teachers and got the score beforehand. Ok I will post pics tonight.

FarmGirl, glad to hear you are surviving and having fun. The week does seem hectic when you are in the middle of it, especially if you are doing the chamber music portion. I did not know that you could get the music beforehand! I always thought they decided who would play what after your first lesson.

I heard John Newell in concert the week I was there. He played all American music - very impressive. The Wednesday evening concerts are always well attended - the locals from town come.

I always have high expectations of getting a lot done at Summerkeys with 3 hours of practice a day, but sadly, that doesn't happen for me. Maybe I'm just too old to make progress quickly!

Just a quick note - yeah I heard it from a person returned to SummerKey. She wrote to string teachers for the score. The other one suggested what she wanted to play and they both got what they wanted. It is a very slow week and this tactic may not work all the time but worth trying. Better than sightreading at your first chamber music session!

Weather looks nice (it was cold and foggy the whole time I was there). The pictures make me feel like I'm back there again. It is quite the experience and I think the detailed focus helps me still although I STILL can't play the Mozart just right. Seriously, we should all plan to go the same week sometime...that would be fun.

Hi Farm Girl,Great pictures. It does make me feel like I'm back there. My friend and I stayed in that same house in June of this year. We are hoping to go for both weeks in June next year. I could not wait to go back after the first year I went. This was my second year. This also seems to be my year to travel. I have been saving for a long time and we are going to Scotland and Paris in 3 weeks. I actually do have a piano in the apartment that we are renting for 3 nights in Edinburgh but no piano for the other 14 days.It does sound like quite a few people from the forum went to Summerkeys this year.Judy

Sam, Karen and Zillybug,Thanks for your comments. This place has a way to grow into you. I am seriously thinking about coming back. I just finished our Friday performance. I played Mozart 2 piano piece with John. It went well. There was one spot I stammered but otherwise I call it a success. I was exhausted after played chamber music, my solo piece and Mozart. I felt physically ill. Have never been so exhausted in my life. People here are so gracious that many people came back to tell me that they loved the piece. Bruce said "good job, it sounded like a Mozart". John told me that's a compliment coming from him. I'm tired. So write more tomorrow.

Sam, i saw the boat house today on the way back from the campobello island. It's neat. We will fly back home to Phoenix tomorrow.

By the way, my husband and I went all over the area today. This is really first day of my trip I did anything like a tourist. I was so looking forward to it. We went Eastport, campobello island for a lobster restaurant and walk around Lubec again.

Ahhh it was so bitter sweet. When we were looking around stores for something to take home, I realized I was crying. It surprised me. I did not think SummerKeys affected me so much until the point. I was completely focused on performance during the week and did not know how happy I actually was. I was only thinking about my Mozart piece which I could not learn before SummerKey in spite of my intention to do so. I did not want perform but John was firm on us going in. He told me I could so I agreed to do it. I have never read music like this under pressure in front of people. I got a page turner but it was over 8 minutes of pure reading and playing at allegro. During rehearsal it was 10 min but it was 8 and half min (my husband measured it). So we must played faster, haha it's probably me. I was so exhausted that I felt like collapsing. Strenuous it was, but I was actually living my dream life. Now I know I would be back here.

FarmGirl, I'm so glad that you had a good experience. Beware, Summerkeys can become addictive! Now that you know what to expect, next time will be even better...

It was great to see so many people from pianoworld go this year.Right now I am planning to go back next year, probably the third week of June (if they keep the same schedule next year, that will be the first week of Summerkeys). Of course, a lot could happen between now and then, but that's my plan.

Enjoying these reports very much. I'm still on the fence about ever attending. I have a great piano teacher. And she teaches during the summer. A different teacher perspective would be nice. But I also suffer from chronic fatigue and wonder about my abilty to maintain the schedule up there. I almost never practice more than 2 hours at home because I get so tired. And I sure don't do it day after day. So, the practice schedule up there overwhelms me.

Still,I enjoy hearing how all who have gone have enjoyed the experience. It really is a wonderful opportunity to combine a vacation with your love of the piano!!

Dynamobt - I think you can make your own schedule there. Not everyone performed there. I wanted concentrated experience and chance to work on Two piano piece using two pianos. My teacher did not mind it at all. In fact she prepared me for the experience. You will know when you are ready. It took me two years to get out there after I first read Sam's experience.

Sam - glad to hear it was not so crowded. I hope you, Karen, I and others can go together. I have to see violin workshop is available. My husband totally surprised me. He announced that he was going to start taking Viola lessons. He saw a few violinists and violists since I hung around with my chamber music people. He was very happy to see there were men (ex engineers) playing violins and violas. It made him strangely glad that they were not advanced. He told me "I figure I better do some instrument to keep the marriage". I call it Summerkeys miracle.

FarmGirl, has your husband had any experience on violin or viola, or otherwise in music?

There's an interesting book by the eminent English Lit scholar Wayne C Booth in which he recounts his thought process for selecting his first-ever, late-in-life, musical instrument. He ended up picking the 'cello, for reasons that I find persuasive, but of course no instruments are bad:

I came to the piano for the first time at age 58 after playing double bass for decades. I find piano more immediately rewarding than any string instrument -- it's much more forgiving to someone who needs a lot of mercy.

FarmGirl, has your husband had any experience on violin or viola, or otherwise in music?

There's an interesting book by the eminent English Lit scholar Wayne C Booth in which he recounts his thought process for selecting his first-ever, late-in-life, musical instrument. He ended up picking the 'cello, for reasons that I find persuasive, but of course no instruments are bad:

I came to the piano for the first time at age 58 after playing double bass for decades. I find piano more immediately rewarding than any string instrument -- it's much more forgiving to someone who needs a lot of mercy.

Good luck in all things to both of you!

He took up a clarinet in a band for a semester when he was in junior high. Did not learn to read music. So this is going to be his first attempt. He always liked strings. His mother played a little fiddle when she was young. But he did not grow up with my advantage. I was given piano, violin and painting lessons. Three people recommended him to take up cello but no. He has a bad knee and ankle from old football injuries. I will wind up carrying his instrument for him. I already carry heavy luggage for him. It has to be portable and something he likes.

I decided to do it with him so that he would continue. Maybe it is the Asian thing (tiger mom) but he seems to lack certain decouplins. Once it gets going, he will be fine but until then I think I have to spend some time with him on violin and viola.